1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for the preparation of an electrically conductive silicone rubber particulate.
2. Background Information
Methods for the production of silicone rubber powder are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,743,670, issued May 10, 1988, and 4,749,765, issued Jun. 7, 1988.
Electrically conductive silicone rubber particulates and methods for their preparation are known. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid Open [Kokai] Number 63-251464 [251,464/88], equivalent to U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,689, issued Feb. 6, 1990, proposes a method which affords a conductive silicone rubber particulate. In this method, a conductive, carbon black-containing silicone rubber composition is preliminarily prepared and is then converted into particulate form by dispersion in water. It is subsequently cured by spraying into hot air to give the conductive silicone rubber particulate.
The above method requires the preliminary preparation of a conductive silicone rubber composition, which suffers from a complicated production process, and has a low productivity.